# CVE-2024-32878: Use of Uninitialized Variable Vulnerability in llama.cpp

> Attackers can cause crashes or potentially execute arbitrary code via a crafted GGUF file due to uninitialized variable usage in llama.cpp.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Apr 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p5mv-gjc5-mwqv

## What is CVE-2024-32878?

CVE-2024-32878 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in ggerganov llama.cpp, published on 26 Apr 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Llama.cpp is LLM inference in C/C++. There is a use of uninitialized heap variable vulnerability in gguf_init_from_file, the code will free this uninitialized variable later. In a simple POC, it will directly cause a crash. If the file is carefully constructed, it may be possible to control this uninitialized value and cause arbitrary address free problems. This may further lead to be exploited. Causes llama.cpp to crash (DoS) and may even lead to arbitrary code execution (RCE). This vulnerability has been patched in commit b2740.

Weakness: CWE-456 (Missing Initialization of a Variable)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-32878?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ggml Llama.cpp.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-32878?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-32878 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-32878 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-32878 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in ggerganov llama.cpp

- [CVE-2024-42479](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42479/): llama.cpp allows write-what-where in rpc_server::set_tensor (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-34159](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34159/): llama.cpp: Unauthenticated RCE via GRAPH_COMPUTE buffer=0 bypass in llama.cpp RPC backend (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-43629](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43629/): llama.cpp b4882–b9058 Buffer Overflow in KV Cache State Restore (critical 9.2)
- [CVE-2026-43631](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43631/): llama.cpp b7492–b9060 Use-After-Free RCE via llama-server (critical 9.2)
- [CVE-2026-43632](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43632/): llama.cpp b7492–b9060 Use-After-Free in Tokenization Endpoints (critical 9.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-32878 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-32878 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in ggerganov llama.cpp, published on 26 Apr 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-32878 exists.

Affected product: ggerganov llama.cpp. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32878/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32878/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-32878
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-32878
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-32878

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32878/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.